Advanced Formulation Technologies in Nutraceutical and Functional Food Development

Dear Colleagues,

The use of advanced technologies in the formulation and functionalisation of bioactive compounds is essential for the successful development of nutraceuticals and functional foods. Bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, vitamins, peptides, and probiotics offer significant health benefits, including disease prevention, modulation of oxidative stress, and promotion of overall well-being. However, many of these compounds are inherently unstable, poorly soluble, and exhibit low bioaccessibility/bioavailability when consumed in their native form. Therefore, the evaluation of formulation technologies should also include the physicochemical and biochemical stability of bioactive molecules, with particular emphasis on their degradation kinetics, molecular half-life, retention of active forms, and functional lifetime under processing, storage, and gastrointestinal conditions. This Topic focuses on the emerging frontier of food-grade nanocarriers and gut-targeted delivery systems as a scientifically distinct and timely research direction. Specifically, it addresses the design of biopolymer-based and food-grade colloidal structures—including protein–polysaccharide nanoparticles, liposomes, and emulsion-based systems—engineered to achieve site-specific release within the gastrointestinal tract and to modulate interactions with the gut microbiome. Within this framework, studies investigating how carrier architecture protects bioactive compounds from oxidation, hydrolysis, enzymatic degradation, thermal stress, pH variation, or light-induced decomposition are particularly relevant, provided that stability enhancement is linked to improved delivery performance, bioaccessibility, bioavailability, or biological efficacy. Rather than broadly covering all encapsulation approaches, the scope prioritises formulation strategies that have demonstrated, or show strong potential for, microbiome-modulated bioactivity and measurable effects on host health. Submissions are particularly encouraged to address the interplay between delivery system architecture, colonic fermentability, microbiota composition, and downstream metabolite production. Contributions may further explore the relationship between stability during gastrointestinal transit and the release, transformation, or microbial metabolism of bioactive molecules, including cases where prolonged molecular lifetime contributes to enhanced colonic availability or microbiome-mediated bioactivity. Clean-label and sustainable material choices are also highlighted as essential design constraints, ensuring translational relevance for the functional food industry.

A defining feature of this Topic is its strong emphasis on translational and clinically validated research. Contributions are expected to move beyond proof-of-concept in vitro models and to provide evidence from well-designed human intervention studies or, where applicable, rigorously controlled in vivo experiments. In addition to efficacy outcomes, submissions are encouraged to include validated stability-related endpoints, such as compound retention during storage, degradation rate constants, half-life under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, preservation of antioxidant or biological activity over time, and stability–bioavailability correlations. Validated biomarkers of efficacy are central to this scope. Authors are encouraged to report outcomes including, but not limited to, circulating short-chain fatty acid profiles, inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP), gut microbiota diversity indices (α- and β-diversity), antioxidant capacity (e.g., FRAP, ORAC, and plasma oxidised LDL), and glycaemic or lipid biomarkers relevant to metabolic health. This evidential rigour distinguishes the Topic from existing publications in the field and directly addresses the translational gap between advanced food-grade formulation and demonstrated human health benefit. By incorporating stability and molecular lifetime as key formulation–performance criteria, the Topic also addresses a critical translational barrier: ensuring that bioactive compounds remain chemically intact, functionally active, and biologically available throughout processing, storage, digestion, and targeted release. Studies employing personalised or stratified nutrition approaches—linking formulation design to individual gut microbiome phenotypes or genetic background—are especially encouraged.

Dr. Ana Belén Martín Diana
Dr. Daniel Rico
Dr. Lubna Ahmed
Topic Editors